i've finally gotten up the nerve to make a clean break.
this saturday at 3:00, i'm having lunch with an elder.
(those latins eat so late!
::::::::After having read Ray Franz's book and talked at length with other former witnesses online, I don't think it's the truth."
Yes I think you've got all bases covered!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's just a pity you can't say something to make em' think while you are at it. BUT where do you start???
i'm wondering how many of you took a while to gather up the courage to dispose of your cupboard loads of watchtowers and awakes, that you'd stored away for........safe keeping????.
we probably hung on to ours for a few months and then we burned them.
there was a tinge of apprehension about it, but it was generally a very satisfying activity.
Yes Martini, I think the fear of distroying the magerzines/books is the crux of the issue. Even when we had thought it all thru, and had made a stand to leave, we felt weird about getting rid of the literature. Spookie huh? I now can't read more than a couple of sentences in a WT before I want to puke! I can't imagine where my head was all those years ago. It's so 'in your face' manipulative it's unbelievable!
you may not remember, but i know you very well.
i met you a long time ago when you came to my house with your smiling faces, your neat clothes, and your soft voices, and a bible tucked neatly under your arm.
you told me many beautiful stories of a "paradise earth," and a "righteous new system" which would be established shortly.
They came to my door a few months ago - just as you described them. I remember thinking that they were like aliens. They looks so normal and nice on the surface, but if you peel back the mask you see the hideous monster that lays beneath. They did a few return visits on me and as my knowledge emerged so too did the monster.
I'm sooooooooo sorry that you have lost your children and grand-children. It's just too, too cruel. They really can't know what they are doing. :-(((
hugs
Marilyn
i've finally gotten up the nerve to make a clean break.
this saturday at 3:00, i'm having lunch with an elder.
(those latins eat so late!
songmistress, I think you have your wires crossed with another post. But no matter. The reason many want a lawyer if because the Elders want it all their own way. They dictate the rules and the terms. In truth there is nothing much a lawyer can do to stop the WTS from accusing you verbally of apostasy, but for some reason the Society is very nervous about bad publicity and law suits. They prefer to keep a low profile. So when a person has been invited to a judicial hearing, taking a lawyer kinda muddies the waters, it stops it from being cut and dried because the Witnesses are not quite sure of how much power the law has. They also can't operate freely with a non witness entity in the room - it cramps their style if you like. They just want the accused to roll over and play dead while they (the elders) do their WT thingy, unhindered by outsiders.
I know a high profile ex witness who was able to prevent his disfellowshipping purely by threatening legal action.
Marilyn
does anyone know if i can take my lawyer to a judicial committee?.
would be fun!.
kpax
Just turn up with one (or a pretend one) and hire a couple of very large body guards and take them too. (all three must wear suits) Emphatically insist that all three remain with you throughout. Tell them that you are afraid for your safety as you have heard too many bad things about JC meetings (even if you haven't). If nothing else, you will completely unnerve them. They won't know if you are crazy or serious. One things for sure they ain't gonna want to strutt their stuff in front of all these worldly visitors.
i've finally gotten up the nerve to make a clean break.
this saturday at 3:00, i'm having lunch with an elder.
(those latins eat so late!
Please, please don't give them the satisfaction of labelling you adulterous (even if it's just in your heart). Don't mention your interest in another woman. They'd just love to have another reason to blame for your apostasy - coz they really don't get it that you could actually stop believing.
I think you have long since fallen out of love with your wife, or else you'd try harder to help her. Well that's fine, but be aware that there is no such thing as 'greener pastures'. Every relationship has it's own difficulties. I really wish you could seperate your desire to leave the troof with your desire to take on a new relationship. I'm sure it must be very difficult for you.
If you tell the elders you want to be disfellowshipped, they are likely to play hard ball btw. They like to dictate the terms. We didn't want to be disfed, so they did. Perhaps that's the angle you should be taking. Tell em' you don't want to be disfed - and that's what they'll do.
Best wishes to you for your future happiness
Marilyn
i'm wondering how many of you took a while to gather up the courage to dispose of your cupboard loads of watchtowers and awakes, that you'd stored away for........safe keeping????.
we probably hung on to ours for a few months and then we burned them.
there was a tinge of apprehension about it, but it was generally a very satisfying activity.
::::::::::::It's the book with that lovely pull out section about the pyramids and the plan of time.
I am sure my grandparents had this book. I remember it. (just).
i'm wondering how many of you took a while to gather up the courage to dispose of your cupboard loads of watchtowers and awakes, that you'd stored away for........safe keeping????.
we probably hung on to ours for a few months and then we burned them.
there was a tinge of apprehension about it, but it was generally a very satisfying activity.
I'm wondering how many of you took a while to gather up the courage to dispose of your cupboard loads of Watchtowers and Awakes, that you'd stored away for........safe keeping????
We probably hung on to ours for a few months and then we burned them. There was a tinge of apprehension about it, but it was generally a very satisfying activity.
Marilyn
remember how we were taught that if we kept our homes, yards and cars clean it would bring honor to jehovah and serve as a witness to our neighbors?.
we really thought people would look at our freshly mowed lawn and they would think, "those people must represent the true god jehovah?".
those people never connected god to any of those things!.
Still laughing at Slip! I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was the reason for the article. They never quite grasped the logistics of disease and medicine - partly due to the love hate relationship they had with doctors.
Ranchette, where I come from, most dubs had neglected gardens. I'm not sure why, but I think they never had any energy left after running on the dub treadmill all weekend! :-(
Marilyn
the last time i spoke with my mom was the middle of october.
i called her that time.. many of you are familiar with the relationship problems ive had with my parents since i quit going to meetings almost a year ago.
for those of you who arent familiar with the situation, you can do a search by clicking on the paper icon under my name to read up on whats been going on.. anyway things were getting worse and worse and nothing good was coming from our discussions or letters.. since i was the one who called her last, i decided to see how long it would take for my parents to get a hold of me the next time.. my mom even told me in the past that she wanted to limit her association with me.
Well Ranchette, you sure are a kind person. You can't ever go wrong being that way. However there may come a time when you feel enough is enough. I put up with 15 yrs of letting the dubs dictate the terms of my association with my parents. They would see me in secret and talk on the phone - anything to keep up dub appearences - even though they wanted to see me. In the end, I blew up (at the dubs) one day when my dad was being carted off to hospital, and my mother was more worried about the witnesses knowing that I was at the house. There comes a time when enough is enough. Since blowing my top, the Witnesses have backed off 100%. It's taught me that you can be too gentle and patient with them. It's like the old saying "give em' an inch and they'll take a mile". With Witnesses, the more you try to accommodate them, the more advantage they take of the situation. Remember that. Be kind, but know when to put your foot down.
Marilyn
